I struggle with clutter. I loathe waking up to a cluttered bedroom, opening my door to a cluttered apartment and stumbling out into a room gripped by perpetual disarray. Surely there is no finer addition to a morning than a clear, unchallenging space to begrudgingly bestir oneself?

Unfortunately, my clutter affliction rolls twofold. For reasons unknown I seem to amass an uncanny amount of ‘stuff’. Daily. Coupling my disdain for mess with this curious magpie nature results in a constant struggle – one that until recently I could see no means of resolving.

Enter Select 18, a consignment store on Bridges Street that provides a place to sell unwanted tat and is perhaps the busiest, most enchanting shop I’ve ever set foot inside.  There’s nothing overtly magical about the items available here. Each object really is more every-day than the one next to it, but there’s something about that, a stuffy pre-owned hum that makes Select 18 altogether more otherworldly than the sum of its parts.

The owner, Thomas has made it his mission to fill every centimetre of available space with an elite treasure trove of curio. Each item found within Select 18 is owned by a contributor from somewhere in Hong Kong but must endure scrutiny by Thomas before finding its way onto his shelves. To this end, each artefact has passed a stringent test of worth - albeit a rather abstract one.

Whether you’re looking for something specific or simply fancy a mooch through the wad of ultracool, unkempt possessions, you’re sure to find happiness here. Tarnished tin whistles dangle from wooden shelves next to a kaleidoscope of mood rings, purses and original works of art. Gaudy watches, lifeless and forgotten lay silent next to fragile broaches, cracked with age but made all the more beautiful for it.

Towards the rear, a clothes rack is heavy with variety and colour. Each item unique in its new home; lumberjack shirts are pressed against floral blouses that hang over fitted t-shirts without concern. Its an assortment of clothing that begs attention and deservedly so. Thomas is seemingly a man of great taste. He’s also an excellent host, happy to shoot the breeze with anyone and everyone perusing his wares.

Whether any of my own possessions will make the grade I’m unsure and nervous to determine, but time spent in Select 18 has somehow aided my clutter issues. Realising that even the most disorderly of environments can be both serene and hospitable, I’m able to gaze upon my own surroundings with a less critical eye.

Select 18 can be found to the rear of Centerstage, at No. 18 Bridge Street.